The United Nations has called on Nigerian authorities and security agencies to urgently secure the release of schoolchildren and teachers abducted in recent attacks across parts of the country, warning that repeated assaults on schools are putting education and child safety at serious risk.
The UN Resident and Humanitarian Coordinator in Nigeria, Mohamed Malick Fall, made the appeal in Abuja after a meeting with the National Safe Schools Response Coordination Centre.
He described the situation as “deeply disturbing,” stressing that schools must remain safe spaces for learning without fear of violence.
He also reaffirmed the UN’s commitment to supporting Nigeria in strengthening safe-school systems, improving emergency response mechanisms, and preventing further attacks on educational institutions.
Fresh attacks in Oyo and BornoThe latest crisis follows coordinated abductions in Oyo State and Borno State, where armed men reportedly stormed multiple schools and abducted dozens of pupils and teachers.
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In Oyo State, attackers invaded schools in Oriire Local Government Area, taking more than 40 pupils and several teachers, while two educators were killed during the incident.
In Borno State, gunmen struck schools in Mussa community and abducted over 40 children, many of them very young.Families of the victims say they remain in anguish, with no confirmed communication from the abductors and no information on the whereabouts or condition of the children.
Oyo Assembly rejects talks with abductors
The Oyo State House of Assembly has ruled out any form of negotiation with the abductors, insisting that only intensified rescue operations should be pursued.
Lawmakers warned that engaging with armed groups could embolden further attacks, and they called for immediate security audits of schools, particularly those in remote and border communities.
The abductions have triggered protests in the Federal Capital Territory, where demonstrators marched through key areas demanding urgent government action to secure the release of the victims.
The protest, led by activist Omoyele Sowore, accused authorities of failing to address the worsening security situation in the country, with protesters chanting calls for rescue and accountability.
Security operatives were heavily deployed across strategic locations in Abuja during the demonstration, leading to traffic disruptions in parts of the capital.
Government response
President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has directed security agencies to intensify efforts to rescue the abducted pupils and teachers. Government officials say military, police, and intelligence agencies are coordinating ongoing search-and-rescue operations.
Authorities insist that all available security and intelligence resources are being deployed to ensure the safe return of all victims.
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